The Amazing Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamp (Updated 2019)

Himalayan salt lamps have the ability to chemically and physically transform a room, and have unique health benefits. People who use pink Himalayan salt lamps say that they help to increase blood flow, reduce allergy symptoms and even help to get a better sleep. Some of the other health benefits of Himalayan pink salt lamps (HPS lamps) include reduction of mental health related disorders, improvement of skin conditions and respiratory problems such as asthma and even colds.

What Makes Himalayan Salt Lamps Beneficial to your Health?

Before I can explain to you why pink Himalayan salt lamps are so beneficial to your health, I need to briefly tell you about positive and negative ions and how they can affect the way you feel.

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Have you ever noticed how mentally and physically refreshed you feel after sitting by a gashing waterfall? Or how you experience a boost in energy after spending some time at an untamed seafront? What makes you feel so good in spots of this kind is the abundance of negative ions, which get produced in some natural places.

Now, there is a way to mimic these perfect circumstances in your own home and indoor places where you spend a lot of time.

The Potential of Negative Ions

Nature produces negative ions to combat air pollution. They attract the harmful particles, which are positively charged, and they balance and neutralize them, so that they lose their damaging characteristics.

In order to breathe in fresh and pure air and protect our health, we want to be surrounded by negative ions. Negative ions stimulate the flow of oxygen to your brain and in this way increase your mental alertness and energy.

The Dangers of Positive Ions

We are surrounded by positive and negative ions – these are atoms or molecules that have lost or gained an electron and are electrically charged.

Positive ions are created by electronic devices and have been dubbed ‘electronic smog’ or ‘electronic air pollution’. As we all know, we are increasingly surrounded by all sorts of computers, large screen TVs, telephones, microwaves and other appliances we now deem necessary for our survival and entertainment (although only a decade ago we did perfectly well without most of these).

Studies have shown that your brain gets bombarded by frequencies 20 times higher than its optimal frequency, which results in all sorts of problems, including insomnia, nervousness and allergies.

The World Health Organization calls the electronic smog “one of the most common and fastest growing environmental influences” and states that concerns about the health effects should be taken seriously.

In short, positive ions are very harmful to us and need to be neutralized.

What is a Himalayan Salt Lamp?

I have previously written about the amazing pink Himalayan salt. Salt lamps are blocks of pure Himalayan salt, so they come from the same region of the world. Also known as the ‘Vitamins of the Air’, they are made from the salt that came from ancient oceans, and serve as a perfect air ionizer.

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Pink Himalayan salt lamps can be solid pieces of salt like this one or decorative baskets filled with large crystals of salt like this one.

The lamp has a small bulb inside and is shaped in a sophisticated way to create a beautiful decorative object of an exceptional health value.

How do Salt Crystal Lamps Work?

Himalayan salt lamps emit negative ions.

The bulb inside of the lamp heats the crystal and supports the ionizing effect.

“The negative ions are generated by a continuous interplay of water attraction and evaporation. The salt crystal lamp attracts water molecules from the surrounding air to its warm surface. The water and salt form a solution. In the process of evaporation of the solution, due to the heat of the lamp, negatively charged ions are created. Both positive and negative ions are created but much more negative ions than positive ions are created, therefore providing a surplus of negative ions.”

Salt itself is hygroscopic and attracts the water from the surroundings. You can often see that the salt lamp is damp or even wet, especially in more humid environments. Due to the gentle heat of the lamp, the water quickly evaporates and during the evaporation process the beneficial negative ions get created. They go on to bind with excessive positive ions (bacteria, molds and allergens all carry a positive charge) and neutralize the electronic smog in your home.

Where to Buy Pink Himalayan Salt Lamps

You can buy salt lamps online in Amazon. For example, you can buy a pink Himalayan salt lamp that looks like a solid piece of salt like this one. You can also buy a pink salt lamp that looks like decorative basket filled with large crystals of salt like this one.

Pink Himalayan Salt Lamps in your Home: Where to Place Them

Don’t expect massive improvements if you tuck away a single rock lamp in the far corner of your house where no-one ever goes. These lamps have a limited range. You will achieve best results if you place them somewhere where you and your family spend a lot of time, or where there are a lot of electronic appliances.

It is suggested to have more than just one pink Himalayan rock salt lamp. You can start with one of course and then add to your collection as you go along. In a similar way to these plants that clean and filter the air – the more the better. You should aim to have at least one in every room you frequently use, such as bedrooms and living rooms.

Think about the following:

Where do you spend most time?

Where do you have a lot of ‘electronic smog’ from computers, TVs, mobile phones, etc.?

Where would you like to enjoy the lamp’s relaxing effects?

Then, place your salt lamps in these areas.

Another way to improve the quality of air in your house is by frequently airing the place, so the air can circulate. In the winter months or when there are high levels of air pollution, it might be difficult to leave the windows open and sufficiently air all the rooms. That is when the salt lamps can be particularly useful and can help cleanse the air and remove the stubborn winter bugs.

There are a lot of fake and cheaper versions on the market that don’t use Himalayan salt. You should check the origin of the lamp you are purchasing. The real lamp is made from pure, food grade Himalayan salt. Substitutes from rock salt will not provide you with the same benefits.

For more ideas on how to naturally improve the air quality read my other articles:

I wish I would of known this a few yrs back when one of my daughter’s room mates brought bed bugs into the house and it cost my daughter over $3,000 to get rid of them and a lot of stress for everyone in the house. I know now! WOW! 🙂

rubbing alcohol kills those suckers FAST! You have to be careful because rubbing alcohol is flammable but it is highly effective. Our downstairs neighbor in our old apt. building had a nest of bedbugs he never bothered to get rid of and they spread through our building. We ended up with an infestation ourselves which two visits from an exterminator was not able to eradicate. I was desperate and at the end of my rope when I started trying all different types of chemicals, pledge, windex, you name it.. nothing really worked until I spilled rubbing alcohol on my bed by accident. Next thing you know, they were avoiding that side of the bed… I started spraying the mattress every night before bed (leaving the room until the fumes settled). problem solved! We’ve since moved and not a single one made it to our new place, THANK GOD!

Hi Nancy, I’ve read a comment of a lady who advised that When not using the lamp for long periods of time, don’t leave your lamp in a humid room, as it attracts moisture from the air (as part of its function) and it began to weep all over her furniture. I have also read a recommendation of Himalayan salt lamps manufacturer that recommends placing your Himalayan salt lamp onto a decorative plate or holder to avoid it leaving marks on furniture. The manufacturer also recommends that if you plan on having your lamp switched off for an extended period, he recommends unplugging the power cord, separating the cord from your salt lamp, and wrapping the salt lamp in a plastic bag to keep it air tight. This will prevent the lamp from pooling water.

Hi Racheal, if you spritz the lamp with water, since salt is hygroscopic (attracts water to its surface) the lamp might “sweat” (although if the salt lamp is left on, the heat of the light bulb will prevent sweating and will help evaporation). You can perhaps spritz a little bit of water in the room but I would not spritz it directly on the lamp.

Great article! I love these lamps, I have a grey and white salt light as well, and in various shapes, really beautiful and all mine come with a dimmer switch so I can adjust the brightness- I got mine from So Well, http://www.natural-salt-lamps.com

I have beautiful lamps from http://www.sowellmade.com, I use them in my birds rooms and all over the house. Even my dogs love them! They have these dimmers on them, which is excellent to have! I was told to keep them on as much as possible and use as many in the house as I could for best results. The company is wonderful! and the selection is wonderful. And I think they are fair trade which you never know when buying products made oversees how they are being made.

Hi Judy, I’ve found an information in a website of Himalayan salt lamp manufacturer as per your problem. This is what it says under FAQ:
Why are my Bulbs blowing?
The globes used in Himalayan Salt Lamps are meant to be in a stationary position. If they are moved suddenly or are exposed to vibration, they are likely to pop. High humidity can also cause globes to pop.
If you have globes popping (blowing) regularly, here are some things to take into consideration;
* The globe is not quite screwed in firmly enough to touch both contacts.
* The globe is touching the inside surface of the lamp.
* The lamp is moved while the lamp has been on for a while.
* There is a large current drawing appliance on the same circuit that is turned on/off and there is a momentary power spike.
* There is excessive ‘micro vibration’ nearby ie: too close to a TV.
* After a Bulb has been changed the cord and bulbs has been pushed too far to the top of lamp and is touching the salt.
* If the lamp has been turned off and it has ‘cried’ while been off and has not been wrapped up, salt may have cried onto the bulb which will cause it to blow.

I love my Himalayan salt lamp and want to use it while I sleep. However, it’s too bright. I put it on the lower shelf of my night stand so it won’t be as bright. I’m wondering if this will prevent me from receiving its benefits since it’s somewhat enclosed? Any wisdoms on this?

Hi Alex, Himalayan salt lamp is a type of rock salt lamp – they are made from salt crystals from the Himalayan mountain regions and come in variety of shades such as white or orange/pink. There are other rock salt lamps that come from a number of other locations throughout the world (although some claim that the finest quality comes from the Himalaya).

I just have a question. I just recently bought a Himalayan Salt Lamp and was wondering if I could cover it at night with a light cloth napkin to dim it slight as it is rather bright in our room when we sleep.

I’ve read about some anecdotal evidence that some people keep the lamp on their nightstand and turn it on for 2-3 hours before bedtime. When the heat from the lamp reacts with the salt, it creates a reaction that purifies the air, and some people who use these lamps have noticed a reduction in snoring, allergies and asthma.

Just. Beautiful. I am always recommending to my friends and family that they get some lamps. A guy I know also had amazing benefits from using a Himalayan salt pipe for his breathing issues. I have 4 in my home, I’m completely obsessed with them!

From what I’ve read, you need to make sure that the dogs cannot reach the salt lamp so they avoid licking it, as too much salt can be harmful for dogs (and cats). Other than that I couldn’t find any information that indicates that the lamps are not safe for pets.

To get the full benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps its generally recommended to leave the salt lamp turned on all the time, as the more you leave it on, the greater air ionizing and purifying effect it will have. The lamps are generally safe to leave on at all times, but if you plan on to leave your home for an extended period of time, for example if you go on vacation, then it’s best to unplug it until you return.

Would any one know how exactly does salt crystals “It balances artificial frequencies and unnatural electromagnetic wavelengths that originate from electronic appliances”?

“It produces the light waves of the rainbow spectrum which protect your body.”
The Sun does a marvelous job of producing rainbows and light. As far as everything I have read light can be beneficial by its effects on your mood but harmful to your body.

As far as the lamp effecting ions in the air. Possible. But probably to a very limited amount.

Some people leave their lamp on all the time, but you don’t have to – some people turn it off before they go to sleep. The lamps are generally safe to leave on at all times, but if you plan on to leave your home for an extended period of time, for example if you go on vacation, then it’s best to unplug it until you return.

My lamp has a plug that is like the one I use for my phone charger. Does it need to be on a charger? or just needs an adapter for a normal plug? Seems like a silly question but I didn’t want to harm the lamp by doing it wrong. Thank You

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